This invention concerns floor systems and more particularly relates to a floor system that has a customized performance of resiliency for a specified activity.
There have been various types of floor systems provided in the past which have employed some form of cushioning for absorbing shock. One form of floor system that has been offered by the assignee of this invention is the so called xe2x80x9cThrust-A-Cushion Panel Systemxe2x80x9d. This sports floor system provides a shock-absorbing, fatigue-reducing flooring system ideal for active sports applications. The construction of this type of flooring system is of a type which has the finished flooring and the subfloor sections supported at spaced intervals by generally rectangular elastomeric pads integrally formed with a plurality of parallel ribs.
Another form of floor system that has been offered by the assignee of this invention is the so called xe2x80x9cVari-Cushion Systemxe2x80x9d. This type of flooring system is a specially designed cushioned sports flooring system which has the finished hardwood flooring and the subfloor sections supported at spaced interval by the same type of elastomeric pads used in the above-described xe2x80x9cThrust-A-Cushion Panel Systemxe2x80x9d. In addition, the pads rest on a continuous layer of xc2xc inch thick crosslinked closed cell polyethylene foam so as to provide two distinct levels of shock absorption. This floor system provides a smooth transition from Stage I (foam compression) through State II (pad compression). In other words, light loads on the flooring only compress the closed cell polyethylene foam whereas heavier loads compress both the foam and the pads. The transfer of forces on the flooring takes place smoothly and energy is returned to the participant in an efficient manner.
Others have also proposed various forms of floor systems having shock absorbing capabilities. For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,890,434 in the name of Michael W. Niese and issued on Jan. 2, 1990, a hardwood floor system is disclosed which has the subfloor sections provided with criss-cross kerf patterns formed in one of the surfaces of each subfloor section. In addition, this floor system has a plurality of elastomeric pads secured to the bottom surface of the lower floor sections to support the floor system in a free floating manner above a base such as a concrete slab. The upper portion of each pad has oppositely extending tabs for securing to the bottom surface of the lower subfloor.
Another form of floor system employing shock absorbing capabilities that has been proposed by others can be seen in U.S. Pat. 4,879,857 in the name of Peterson et al. and issued on Nov. 14, 1989. In this particular floor system the finished flooring is mounted on a subfloor which, in turn, is supported over a solid base such as a cement slab. In addition, a number of spaced apart individual nodule-like resilient shock absorbing members are located under the subflooring and serve to support the subflooring and the playing surface on the solid base. Each of the shock absorbing members is molded as a single homogeneous unit made of a polyurethane material having the same durometer throughout. Alternatively, the shock absorbing member may have one portion made of a material having one durometer and another portion made of the same or different material having a different durometer.
Other U.S. patents showing floor systems incorporating shock absorbing capabilities are as follows:
U.S. Pat. 5,303,526, Niese, issued Apr. 19, 1994
U.S. Pat. 5,377,471, Niese, issued Jan. 3, 1995
U.S. Pat. 5,388,380, Niese, issued Feb. 14, 1995
U.S. Pat. 5,433,052, Niese, issued Jul. 18, 1995
U.S. Pat. 5,465,548, Niese, issued Nov. 14, 1995
The present invention is similar to the above-described floor systems in that it also utilizes shock absorber members or pads for cushioning the foot impact of individuals using the flooring. However, it differs from the above-described floor systems in that it utilizes shock absorber members which can be fine tuned for specific activities such as dancing, gymnastics, aerobics, and basketball. This is accomplished by having a shock absorber member which includes two separate parts that are combined and interconnected to form a single cushioning member. By varying the cushioning ability of the shock absorber member, one can tailor the dance, gymnastic, and basketball practice area of the flooring system to have a relatively soft (low durometer) cushioning arrangement whereas the competitive area has a harder (higher durometer) cushioning arrangement while utilizing the same subfloor structure throughout the extent of the floor system. Thus by use of the present invention, customization of a specific installation is achievable to provide different shock absorption levels within the same floor to accommodate different functions.
More specifically, each of the shock absorber members which forms a part of the present invention includes a base member and an insert member. Both the base member and the insert member are preferably made of an elastomeric material such as polyvinyl chloride of a pre-selected hardness. Of course, any other suitable material may be used within the context of the present invention. The base member can be made using an extrusion process after which it is cut into individual similarly sized parts. In cross-section, the base member has a pyramidal configuration with the outer end portions serving as mounting arms which can be fastened to the subfloor of the sports floor system by fasteners such as staples. A rectangular opening or cavity is centrally formed in the main body portion of the base member for accommodating the insert member. The insert member can also be made using an extrusion process and takes the form of an elongated bar which is rectangular in cross section. The opposed ends of the bar section of the insert member are arrow shaped with flexible barbs which allow the arrow end of the insert member to be inserted into the accommodating rectangular opening formed in the base member and be retained therein. By making the base member and the insert member of elastomeric material having different durometers, one can select the combination that will provide the desired shock absorption characteristics at various locations of the sports floor system.
The present invention also contemplates the use of the above-described two-piece shock absorber member in a portable floor system as well as a permanent type floor system. One type of portable floor system with which this shock absorber member can be used is disclosed in commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 4,538,392 issued on Sep. 3, 1985. In this type of floor system, the flooring is sectionalized into a plurality of floor sections arranged in rows with each section composed of inter-engaged strips of wood which define the floor surface. Spaced stringers or sleepers extend transversely of the strips of wood and an underlayment is interposed between the strips of wood and the stringers. During installation of the portable floor system, the floor sections are interconnected at adjacent corners and pivoted into interlocking positions. In this instance, it is intended that the two-piece shock absorber member be attached at spaced intervals to the stringers of each of the floor sections. As should be apparent, pivoting of the floor sections having the two-piece shock absorber members attached to the stringers could result in damage to the shock absorber members and increase the force necessary to interconnect one floor section to another particularly when the floor sections are installed on a concrete slab. Therefore, in this instance, a U-shaped plastic guard member is provided which encloses or encapsulates the shock absorber members and prevents damage to the latter members while facilitating the movement of the sectionalized floor sections during installation of the portable floor system.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved floor system in which various locations of the flooring system is provided with two-piece shock absorber members which members are interchangeable for providing a customized performance level of resiliency for a specified activity.
Another object of the present invention is to provided a new and improved floor system having finished flooring provided on a subfloor which, in turn, is provided with a plurality of shock absorber members each of which can be tuned by the insertion of a connectable member to vary the cushioning ability of the shock absorber member.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved floor system in which interconnected strips of wood form a finished flooring for various activities with the flooring being fastened to a subfloor attached to which are a plurality of spaced shock absorber members each of which includes an elastomeric base member adapted to be combined with another elastomeric member to provide a cushioning effect of a magnitude less than provided by the base member alone.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved floor system including an upper floor surface and a bottom surface which has a plurality of shock absorber members fixed to the bottom surface of the floor system at spaced intervals and in which each of the shock absorber members includes an elastomeric base member provided with a cavity which accommodates an insert member for decreasing the cushioning ability of the base member.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved floor system having a finished flooring fixed to a subfloor the bottom surface of which has a plurality of shock absorber members attached thereto with each of the shock absorber members being characterized in that it is formed as two separate members each made of an elastomeric material having either the same or a different durometer and which can be combined into a single unit so as to provide a desired performance effect.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved portable floor system having individual floor sections which include a finished flooring of separate interconnected strips of wood fastened to a subfloor which, in turn, is secured to transversely extending stringer members provided with individual elastomeric shock absorber members encapsulated within a guard member which protects the shock absorber members from being damaged during the installation of the floor sections.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved portable floor system composed of a plurality of floor sections which include a finished flooring of interconnected strips of wood fastened to a subfloor attached to transverse stringer members provided with elastomeric shock absorber members spaced along the length of each of the stringer members and in which a trough like plastic guard member is secured to each of the stringer members to protect the shock absorber members during installation and to facilitate the assembly of the floor sections.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved floor system which includes a finished flooring secured to a plurality of subfloor panels having stringer members attached to the bottom surfaces of the subfloor panels and in which each of the stringer members is provided with a plurality of spaced shock absorber members enclosed within an elongated U-shaped plastic guard member of uniform cross section that extends the length of the stringer member.
Other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following detailed description when taken with the drawings in which: